We believe that every voice matters.

SAY.org

REUBEN, age 10, has participated in SAY programs for two years.

“ SAY brought Reuben out of his shell and in addition to building self-confidence, Reuben has made so many new friendships.” Maria, Reuben’s Mother

ABOUT US

Since 2001, The Stuttering Association for the Young has provided life-changing

experiences for young people who stutter. We also provide crucial support to

professionals, including educators, speech-language pathologists, pediatricians and

others.SAY: Our Mission

To empower young people who

stutter and inspire the world to

treat them with compassion

and respect so they can achieve

their dreams.

SAY: Our Vision

A world where every voice

matters.

SAY: How We Help

Over 70 million people stutter

on a daily basis, including 5% of

all children. Young people who

stutter often face unimaginable

fear and cruelty from a world

that doesn’t understand them.

Over time, they may recoil

from the world, silencing

themselves to hide their stutter,

embarrassment, and shame.

Young people who stutter may

also feel incredibly isolated

and alone, and many face daily

ridicule, teasing and bullying.

Since 2001, SAY has offered

comprehensive, innovative

programs that address the

physical, social, and emotional

impacts of stuttering. So many

incredible children have come

to our programs in despair.

We have been lifted by their

courage and have witnessed the

transformation that occurs when

children who stutter develop

the self-confidence, lasting

friendships, and support they

need to express themselves fully

and follow their dreams.

We believe that every young

person who stutters has a voice

that matters and it is a voice that

deserves to be heard.

SAY.org

Every day, kids who stutter

shut down. How many silent

kids, hiding in the back row of

class are actually brilliant — just

pretending not to know the

answers because they’re afraid

to talk? How many young people

are keeping their heads down or

not making friends because they

are terrified of being laughed at,

ridiculed, or bullied for the way

they speak?

For years I lived this way myself.

I have stuttered since I was

five years old and I wish there

had been an organization like

SAY when I was a child. It

would have saved me years of

isolation, shame, and crying

myself to sleep at night. For

much of my life, from the

moment I woke up until the

moment I fell asleep, my number

one goal was to hide the fact

that I stuttered. I developed

many tricks and avoidance

techniques to help me get

through the day. Of course, the

best way to not stutter is to

not talk. And I did a lot of not

talking. I did a lot of watching

the world from the sidelines,

desperately wanting to throw

myself into the game, but

allowing fear to win out more

times than not.

I believe every

voice matters.

Not some.

Not most.

Every voice.

FOUNDER'S MESSAGE

SAY Founder & President TARO ALEXANDER

I started SAY to reach out

to young people who might

otherwise never know the

reassurance and relief of

connecting with another person

who stutters. I started SAY to

affirm that every voice matters.

I started SAY to help parents

know that being an effective

communicator is more important

than being 100% fluent. I started

SAY to make the world listen.

I started SAY to inspire even

the most quiet amongst us to

embrace their voice and dreams.

Seeing a child give up on

communicating is a tragedy that

we don’t accept at SAY. Our

dream is that each and every

child will live out of courage

instead of fear. Our expectations

are high. We believe that young

people who stutter can achieve

whatever they dream.

“ SAY helped me develop the self-esteem necessary to find my own voice. Thanks to SAY, I now live each day with more confidence - whether it’s speaking in class or singing an original song - it’s been so life-changing.” JULIANNA, 16, has been part of SAY programs for nine years.

“ I love Camp SAY because I make

friends from across the country that

I stay in touch with all year long -

which is awesome.”JOE, 18, has participated in

SAY programs for eight years.

SUMMER CAMP

Join us at Camp SAY, the exciting summer camp where everything seems possible

for a young person who stutters, where they develop the skills they need to

communicate more effectively, build self-confidence, and forge friendships to

last a lifetime. Our sleep-away camp welcomes

children and teens who stutter,

ages 8-18, and their young family

members and friends who want

to share an incredible camp

experience together. Young

people from across the country

and beyond attend Camp SAY

year after year.

Camp Is the Gift You Give a Child

It’s the gift of fun and friendships,

but most important, a gift of

self-confidence and improved

communication that benefits

each child for a lifetime.

Each day at camp provides

an important balance between

structured activities and choice,

so children can discover their

unique talents and enjoy

the freedom of pursuing their

personal interests and dreams.

Campers spend time with

children their own age and are

also paired with camp buddies

— so that older and younger

campers can enjoy a rewarding

mentoring experience.

Camp SAY also offers a variety

of speech therapy options,

personalized to fit each child’s

unique goals and needs. If

speech therapy is of interest,

individual or group therapy

sessions are available, with

peers who stutter. Therapy is led

by a certified speech-language

pathologist with extensive

experience helping children who

stutter. The choice of whether

or not to participate in speech

therapy is always up to each

parent and child.

In addition to having incredible

fun, children and teens leave

Camp SAY with so many

important and lasting benefits

including increased confidence,

new friendships, greater

independence, and the feeling of

being much better prepared to

begin a new school year.

Learn more about camp,

including a typical day at

CampSAY.org

This comprehensive stuttering

treatment program incorporates

education, fear-reduction,

counseling, parent/family

integration, and physical

strategies to make speaking

easier.

SAY Speech Therapy offers a

unique depth of experience

and expertise because it is

fully dedicated to the treatment

of stuttering. We offer speech

consultations, diagnostic

evaluations, individual and group

therapy sessions, self-help

and parent groups, ongoing

support for professionals,

and added resources.

SPEECH THERAPY

SAY established its Speech Therapy program to help young

people who stutter increase communication skills, build

self-esteem, develop greater independence, increase school

participation, and advocate for themselves.

Teletherapy Sessions

Families from across the

country, and beyond can

schedule Teletherapy sessions

that provide crucial access to

a speech-language pathologist

who works exclusively with

young people who stutter.

“ I was thrilled to find a place like The Stuttering Association for the Young,

where my 4-year-old daughter could receive speech therapy from a

truly experienced speech-language pathologist. I am

overwhelmed by Selah’s increased sense of joy and

self-confidence.” Nicole, Selah’s Mother

SELAH, age 5, has participated in SAY’s Speech Therapy program

for more than a year.

“ Quincy is a self-confident, eager and proud student as a result of his participation in SAY’s Confident Voices program for the past several years.”

Rachel, Quincy’s Mother

QUINCY, age 9, has been a part of SAY programming for more than two years.

Our Confident Voices program

helps young people who stutter

develop essential skills and

enjoy a unique forum to freely

express their thoughts, ideas,

goals, and dreams.

Utilizing a broad range of

effective program formats — all

of which build communication

skills and self-confidence —

CONFIDENT VOICES PROGRAM

SAY developed its innovative Confident Voices After-School & Weekend program to help young people who stutter develop the self-confidence and courage they need to communicate more effectively, build a sense of community, and establish rewarding friendships.

our dynamic staff helps kids

and teens safely expand their

comfort zones. Tapping into

each child’s individual strengths

and interests, SAY creates a

highly individualized experience

that generates profound results.

Powerful peer collaborations

also enable young people

who stutter to establish strong

support groups and forge

important new friendships.

It’s this unique collaborative

and transformative experience,

delivered in an accepting and

supportive environment that

allows many young people to

express themselves fully for the

first time in their lives!

INSPIRING STORIES

Because we believe that every voice matters,

we created the MY STUTTERSM Blog.

MY STUTTER is a place where people who stutter share incredible,

courageous stories to inspire others to overcome obstacles and achieve

their dreams. Whether it’s through the written word, a poem, or a video,

MY STUTTER reminds us all about the unimaginable fear and cruelty that

young people who stutter can face and unites us through the common

threads of compassion and kindness.

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Vice President of the United States & person who stutters

“Growing up, I struggled with stuttering and

understand firsthand the anguish, frustration, and

anxiety that this common speech disorder inflicts on

young people. I hope that every child who stutters

has the opportunity to benefit from SAY’s program

and that others will support this vital organization.”

Paul Rudd Actor & SAY Trustee

“To see these kids get in front of an audience and

speak, which is difficult for anyone, is incredibly

moving. What they do just speaks to the power of

joining a group and gaining confidence.”

George Springer Professional Baseball Player & SAY Spokesperson

“I’m thrilled to team up with The Stuttering

Association for the Young and wish that I had an

organization like SAY when I was a kid.”

Edward G. Conture

EL-

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Vice President of the United States & person who stutters

“Growing up, I struggled with stuttering and

understand firsthand the anguish, frustration, and

anxiety that this common speech disorder inflicts on

young people. I hope that every child who stutters

has the opportunity to benefit from SAY’s program

and that others will support this vital organization.”

Paul Rudd Actor & SAY Trustee

“To see these kids get in front of an audience and

speak, which is difficult for anyone, is incredibly

moving. What they do just speaks to the power of

joining a group and gaining confidence.”

George Springer Professional Baseball Player & SAY Spokesperson

“I’m thrilled to team up with The Stuttering

Association for the Young and wish that I had an

organization like SAY when I was a kid.”

ELLIE, age 11, has been part of SAY programming for 2 years.SAY.org/MyStutter

Edward G. Conture PH.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-FD

Professor Emeritus, Vanderbilt University

“SAY allows young people to experience a very accepting and

supportive environment. I was impressed with everything.”

Meredith Vieira Correspondent & TV Host

“Tragically, millions of children who stutter are

suffering in silence, and I’m honored to lend

my voice to help SAY continue to empower

children to find their own voices.”

Carly Simon Music Icon & person who stutters

“I truly believe in SAY and am very proud

to be an active member of this program.”

SAY what’s in your heart.

SAY what’s on your mind.

SAY what you want to say.

SAY the story you want to tell.

SAY the things you want the world to know about you.

SAY the things you want the world to hear.

Because in the end, what you have to SAY not only says a lot about you, it says a lot about all of us.

We’re here to help you SAY the things that shouldn’t go unsaid.

ANDREW, age 15, has been part of SAY programming for 2 years.

SAY SUPPORT US Help make anything possible in the life of a child who stutters. Help us

continue to offer innovative programs and financial aid to families-in-need,

ensuring that children of all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to

SAY programs. To date, no child has been turned away due to a family’s

inability to pay. Your donation helps SAY continue this important legacy.TO MAKE A DONATION:VISIT SAY.org CALL (212) 414-9696 or MAIL a contribution to:SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young247 W 37th Street, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10018

EMAIL info@SAY.org for more information

The Stuttering Association for the Young (formerly Our Time) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Connect with us on:

SAY.orgChild on Cover: PHOEBE, age 13, has participated in SAY programming for 2 years.

Principal photography by Doug Menuez

Founder’s portrait by Mikiodo

SAY: is a registered trademark of The Stuttering Association for the Young